The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to a system and/or method for providing wireless coverage in an area where it is difficult to transmit and receive signals, more particularly, but not exclusively, to a radio repeater system having multiple receivers and a voting mechanism for recognizing multiple versions of a signal and selecting a single version for retransmitting; an aspect of some embodiments of the invention relates to the use of an existing wired emergency communication infrastructure to transmit signals between components of the system and/or the concurrent repeating of a simplex wireless signal.
U.S. Publication No. 2010-0197222 to Scheucher discloses an In-Building Communications system, which permits communication in tunnels, underground parking garages, tall buildings such as skyscrapers, buildings having thick walls of concrete or metal, and/or any building which has communication dead zones due to electromagnetic shielding. The invention includes a portable bi-directional amplifier (BDA) system, an outdoor antenna system attached to the building or independently mountable an indoor antenna system attached to the building or independently mountable inside the building, and a standardized, In-Building Communications (IBC) interface box affixed preferably to the exterior of the building. The interface box communicates with antenna systems attached to the building. The fire department or other emergency response personnel carry portable outdoor and indoor antenna systems and a portable, lithium-ion battery powered, bi-directional amplifier (BDA) system which may be connected to the building during an event such as a fire, earthquake, or an act of terrorism or whenever radio coverage enhancement is required. The portable BDA system is simply connected to the standardized, IBC interface box and powered thus restoring communications within.
U.S. Publication No. 2010-0068992 to Masoian discloses an emergency communications device containing dispatch consoles for use by user that contain multiple repeaters and multiple communication networks. The multiple repeaters and multiple communication networks are used for redundancy purposes, in case the repeater or communication network in use becomes disabled for any reason. The device also contains a recorder unit capable of provided instant playback to emergency dispatch personnel independently of whether the unit is recording. The device does not require an external computer to operate.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,126,510 to Samson discloses a system and method for providing communication between public safety officials. A communications network architecture includes a base transceiver station hub where the base transceiver station hub includes public safety network communications equipment and non-public safety network communications equipment. The architecture also includes a plurality of distributed antenna system (DAS) nodes and the base transceiver station hub is operatively coupled to the plurality of DAS nodes. The method includes providing the public safety communication from the base transceiver station hub to one of a plurality of distributed antenna system (DAS) nodes by public safety network communications equipment included in the base transceiver station hub.
U.S. Publication No. 2007-0099667 to Graham discloses a distributed antenna system for providing distributed signal coverage within a facility of one or more wireless networks transmitting one or more RF signals. The distributed antenna system comprises a wireless base station configured to extend coverage of the one or more wireless networks; a backbone coupled to the base station; a plurality of coupler units connected to the backbone; a first plurality of antennas, each connected to one of the coupler units; a plurality of amplifiers coupled to the backbone; and a second plurality of antennas, each connected to one of the amplifiers. The plurality of amplifiers and the second plurality of antennas actively distribute the one or more RF signals during a powered condition and the first plurality of antennas passively distributes the one or more RF signals during a power failure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,020 to Cook discloses a structure including a plurality of repeaters, each having a primary transceiver and a secondary transceiver electromagnetically located upon a clear side and a blocked side, respectively, of a barrier. Each primary transceiver and secondary transceiver communicates using an intra-repeater signal. Each intra-repeater signal is output from its respective primary transceiver, combined with other intra-repeater signals by a combiner, passed over a communication infrastructure, separated from other intra-repeater signals by a separator, and input to its respective secondary transceiver. Optionally, each intra-repeater signal may be retrieved from the communication infrastructure, separated from other intra-repeater signals by a separator, amplified by a bandpass amplifier, combined with other intra-repeater signals by a combiner, and inserted back into the communication infrastructure
U.S. Publication No. 2009-0190508 to Kattwinekel discloses a simplex cognitive ‘repeater’ for designating one or more transceivers in a cognitive network to perform the repeater function, prescribing one or more lists of distant transceivers being served by repeaters in a distant network, prescribing a set of routing rules for the repeaters, including rules for routing messages received from distant transceivers and rules for routing messages received from the base station or other transceivers in the network, and prescribing a set of rules to enable distant transceivers to participate in the cognitive aspects of the network.
Additional background art includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,561, U.S. Publication No. 2011-0051630, U.S. Publication No. 2011-0274145, U.S. Publication No. 2006-0148468, European Patent No. EP0499735, European Patent No. EP0204813, U.S. Publication No. 2005-0176368, U.S. Publication No. 2009-0149221, U.S. Publication No. 2007-0099667, U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,505, U.S. Publication No. 2006-0250271, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,359,714.